Improvement in boiler-feed low-water detector



JOSEPH N. B.. BOND., OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Letters Patent No. 74,883, elated February 25, 1868.

IMPROVEMENT IN BUTLER-FEED LOW-WATER DETECTOR.

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lTOALL WHOM IT MAY- CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH N. B. BOND, of 19 Seventh avenue, New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improved Low-Water Detector and Boiler-Feed; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable those skilled'in the artfto make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing, which representsa sectional front elevation of this invention.

This invention relates to a low-water detector, the operation of which depends upon a. buckling-tube, which is situated at the level of the mean water-line of the boiler, and connects at one end with the steam-space, and at the opposite end with the water-space of said boiler, While its centre is connected to a lever, which acts on the stop-valve of an alarm-whistle in such a manner that when thejvater in=A the boiler sinks below the mean `\vater-liue, and thetube is caused to expand and buckle up by the heat of the steam passing through it, the

stop-valve of the alarm-whistle is causedhto open automatically, and the alarm'is sounded. As soon "as this takes place the engineer oriireman opens a stop-cock, which admits steam from the boiler to atank, Which connects 'with the hydrant or with a suitable Water-reservoir, and with the Water-space of the boiler. If this steam-cock is closed, the water enters the tank first through a conical nozzle, and after the steam in said tank has condensed, through a cylindrical pipe, until the stop-cock in the supply-pipe'is 'closed by the action of a oatin the tank. When the water in the boiler gets low, the steam-cock is opened, the pressure in the tank becomes equal to the boiler-pressure, and the water contained in the tank sinks down into the boiler by its own gravity.

A represents a steam-boiler, with its try-cocks`a c, the middleeock, Z1, indicating the mean water-line ofthe boiler. On a level with this mean Water-line is situated the buckling-tube B, the 'ends of which. are secured in rigid sockets, C C', so that if the tube expands it is compelled to buckle up. One end of said tube connects by a pipe, d, with the steam-space ofthe boiler, and its other end connects by a pipe, e, with the water-space, so that when the water in the boiler rises to or above the mean Water-line, the buckling-tube is lled with Water;

but when the water in the boiler sinks' down below the mean Water-line, the buckling-tube fills with steam. lhe

tube B connects at about the middle of its length by a strap, f, with alever, D, which acts on the stop-valve, E, of an alarm-whistle, F. When the-water in the boiler sinks below the mean water-line,V so that the tube B lls with steam and buckles up by the increased temperature, the lever D opens the stop-valve E, and the alarm is sounded. i i.

In.order to enable the engineer or reman to inject Water in hisvboiler as soon as the alarm-Whistle is blown, I have applied a tank, G, which connects by a pipe, g, with the steam-space, and' by a pipe, Z1., with the Water-space of the boiler, and by a pipe, with a Vhydrant or ivater-reservoir, situated at such a height that the water will enter the tank under a certain pressure or liead. The pipe g is opened and closed by a. stop-cocky', and the pipe 7L is provided with a cheek-valve, 7c, which prevents the water from the boiler passing up into the tank G. The pipe t' extends into the tank, and it is furnished with a. stop-cock, Z, which is opened and closed by the action of a iioat, H. Beyond the stop-cock said piper' branches oif into a conical nozzle, m, -and a c vlin` dricql nozzle, n, which latter is provided with a., check-valve, o. It' the steam-cock j is closed, after the tank G has been emptied, the Water rushes in first through the conical nozzle m, against the pressure ofthe steam st ill remaining in the tank, and as this steam condenses, the checkvalve o opens and the Water enters also through the cylindrical nozzle n, until it rises to such a height that the stop-cock Z will be closed by the action of the float H, which float is adjusted so that the water is not permitted to fill up the tank, and that in the upper part -thereof' a certain space is Aloft for the steam, and that the steam, on being admitted to the tank, will act imme diately upon the entire surface ot' the water contained therein. When the alarm-whistle sounds, the engineer opens the steam-cock y', and the water in the tank descends into the boiler by its own gravity. A i'ter the tank has been emptied, the steam-cock is closed, and the tank fills again automatically, as above described.

In such pla-ces where the water has to be'taken from a well, a branch pipe, p, `is made to extend'dovvn into the well from the pip'e z, and the pipe z' is dispensed with. The pipe p is provided' with a stop-cock, q. AWhen .it is desired to ill the tank, the stopcock g is opened, and the steam contained in the tank blows oil' into the well, where it condenses, and by these means a. vacuum is formed in the tank, and the Water rushesiinto the same by the action ofthe atmospheric pressurer After the tank has thus been filled the stop-cock q is closed7 andthe steam-cockjis opened, and the Water descends from the tank into the boiler by its own gravity. It desired, the steam-cock j can be connected to and operated automatically by the bucklingtube B. y

By these means an automatic alarm and boiler-feed are obtained whereby the engineer is enabled to supply any deficiency of Water in the boiler whenever it is lrequisite.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The buckling-tube B, operating the alarm-whistle F by means of the arms Df, and lconnected with tln boiler A, as shown, 'when arranged and operating as herein set forth and. shown. K

2. The iloat H, operating the valve Z, in the conical nozzle ofthe supply-pipe z', which is provided with the nozzle 'n and cheek-valve o, in combination with the pipes lap, steam-cock j, and buclilingtube B, sibstantially as and for the purposes described.

. JOSEPH N. B. BOND. Witnesses: l

W. HAUFF, GUSTAV BERG. 

